At what age did you (or will you) let your kid(s)

[wambam]

My mom and grandma used to bribe me with gum when I was 4-5. I would do anything for a piece of green Extra.

[popple]

Never!

Ok maybe not never, but I'm not looking forward to that day. Maybe 5? 6?

[Deleted]

I dunno.

[eb777888]

When he can manage not to swallow it. Not there yet.

[hippygirl]

Jul 30, 2014 15:29:23 GMT -5 @scottydeux said:

I would never encourage it. I'd let them chew some hippie gum at whatever age they won't swallow or choke on it easily. So, six or seven? Idk

What is hippie gum?

[Captain Serious]

Why is this a thing?

I let my boys chew gum, and never thought of preventing it. M will have to give it up soon enough for braces. As long as they don't chew like cows and it's sugerless, what do I care?

[wambam]

Jul 30, 2014 15:33:07 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

Jul 30, 2014 15:31:58 GMT -5 toledo said:

This is a thing? My kids chew gum every so often, and have for a while.

I have no idea! It was a thing for my mom, apparently. And so unfair. I just wanted a damn piece of gum, mom! Gawd.

Did your psycho mom steal your purse without any warning and it had your phone, money, and gum?

[textbookcase]

Meh, Bonnie chews gum sometimes. She's 2.5. I probably waited until the other girls were 5-6 but I don't remember exactly when.

[karmasabiotch]

J is 6 and hasn't asked for it yet. If he asks I will let him try it but it would be very supervised so that my dogs and my carpet don't end up with gum mushed into them.

[textbookcase]

Jul 30, 2014 15:36:15 GMT -5 @scottydeux said:

Jul 30, 2014 15:32:38 GMT -5 hippygirl said:

What is hippie gum?

Something with Xylitol, like Spry.

Don't most sugarless gums have xylitol?

[irishbride2]

I have no clue. But not yet.

The oldest is 4.5

[ProfessorArtNerd]

I don't remember. I love bubble gum and Lucy's been chewing it for a while. DH makes it a THING but he is stupid sooo

[karmasabiotch]

My Mom was addicted to Juicy Fruit gum. The last burst of life she had in her the day she died she spent chewing a piece of gum right before she slipped into unconsciousness. It's how she would have wanted it. <3

[wambam]

Jul 30, 2014 15:41:15 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

Jul 30, 2014 15:36:00 GMT -5 wambam said:

Did your psycho mom steal your purse without any warning and it had your phone, money, and gum?

Er.. Not that I'm aware of. You?

Did you miss the galecki troll's thread the other day? 

[4speedy]

Wow. My kid has been chewing gum since he was 4. His speech therapist would use the promise of a piece of gum as a bribe to get him to cooperate. She also said it was good for his weak oral muscles. He could usually only chew it maybe 10 times before his mouth got too tired. So he chewed for 20 seconds while I watched and then spit it out in my hand. I had no idea this was a bad thing.

[BaliHai]

I don't know, not for a long time. I don't think I was allowed to have gum until I was like 10, and then I was allowed to have the zebra stripe gum only.

Still not a big gum gal. It hurts my jaw. Feel sorry for my husband.

[eb777888]

My dentist told me to stop chewing gum a long time ago, I forget why, so it's never around. He got some for Halloween and in treat bags for birthday parties and stuff and he always swallows it! Lol. So I throw it away and tell him that until he learns to not swallow it, he can't have it.

[thebreakfastclub]

I did not even know what gum really was until first grade. Then I was begging for grape Hubba Bubba like crazy.

[mandymay]

My husband gave our daughter some to chew a couple of weeks ago. She'll be 4 in October. She took a tiny bite, chewed, then spit it out in the trash and was done she doesn't seem to be a fan so far.

[Deleted]

Jul 30, 2014 15:29:23 GMT -5 @scottydeux said:

I would never encourage it. I'd let them chew some hippie gum at whatever age they won't swallow or choke on it easily. So, six or seven? Idk

My mother has been swallowing her gum for like 65 years. She's somehow totally fine. It's gross.

[luckyval]

I think Hart had some chicklets for the first time around Easter (at 3 yo). He's a kid, he loves all candy. I'm not stressing it, as long as he's brushing his teeth.

We're not big gum people, though, so it's not something that's around a lot. He prefers lollypops.

[statlerwaldorf]

I think she was 4. I haven't had an issue with her swallowing it or putting it somewhere other than the trash can.

[harmony11]

I started letting DD chew gum earlier this year. She will be 7 in August.

[Captain Serious]

Jul 30, 2014 15:53:05 GMT -5 eso said:

Jul 30, 2014 15:43:05 GMT -5 4speedy said:

It sounds like it was a good thing for your son, so that's good. But in general, encouraging oral fixations isn't usually something people try to do, I think? Maybe that's just my feeling. Plus, bacteria, or other gross things kids sometimes do (trade gum, eeww). And then manners-wise, it's generally not looked upon too greatly. Then, the chemicals and crap that are in most gums too. Just overall doesn't sound like a great idea. 

Really?  It's a oral fixation to like the taste of gum?  It's like candy without the calories!

Bacteria?  Other gross things? Trading gum?  I assure you, if they would do these things with gum, they'll do them with other snacks.

As for the chemicals "and crap," does that mean that you don't let your kid have any candy?  How old is your child?

[rex]

this is something i am supposed to think about?

[Deleted]

I gave DS a piece of bubble tape and he swallowed it.

[nannersp]

I waited to let my gal have it until she was 5 mainly because I didn't want her swallowing it, nor did I want her to get it caught in things, especially her hair. (She manages to get yogurt and other stuff in her hair, which is such a pain to brush out.)

When she was 4, she suddenly started talking about how when she was 5, she'd be old enough for gum. I never set that as an age limit, but I was highly amused.

She'll only chew it for a few minutes before she gets bored and wants to spit it out. Her first encounter with a gumball (as opposed to a stick of gum) was hilarious. She assumed it was going to be hard like a marble, so she was afraid to put it in her mouth.

[8675309]

I probably started chewing gum too early. I would buy those big pouches of big league chew at my brothers baseball game when I was 6 or 7 and every single time, some would end up in my hair. My mom would curse the shit out of me when that happened but hey, she said I could go to the snack bar!!

ETA: THIS is why my kid will only chew gum when she's old enough to pull it out of her own hair.

[adhdfashion]

8 or 9 years old.

[april37]

DD had gum for the first time in 4K... her teacher gave it to her! She had in on a more regular basis starting at 5 yrs old.